Grand Slam is finally here and we have a TV card for the ages tonight. Bryan Danielson vs Kenny Omega happens tonight, live from the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York and I can't give you any more of an intro than that. Let's go!
They're opening with Kenny vs Danielson. Oh my! Bryan Danielson gets a huge crowd reaction as he walks out to wrestle and Kenny gets a good one too. This is the most anticipated match in wrestling over the last decade and we get it for free on TV. God bless this company. The stadium looks incredible but somehow sounds even better when the bell rings to signal the start of the match. Both men take forever to make contact, almost a minute and a half, but the crowd erupts when they finally lock up. Both men show off their excellent wrestling with neither able to stay in control for long. They trade holds and strikes, chops in the corner, and kicks as the two greatest wrestlers in America show this crowd exactly how it's done. Kenny takes a spill to the outside and Danielson follows him with a Tope and begins to work on the arm of Omega, tossing him into the ring post and targetting it when back in the ring. Omega doesn't stay underneath for long though as he fights back with what feels like 30 chops all told and Bryan's chest is red raw! Omega begins to focus his attacks on the back of Bryan Danielson as we move past the ten minute mark.
Big time impact by the American Dragon @bryandanielson - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama! pic.twitter.com/Iw1fhCTbHT
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
The American Dragon also isn't one to stay down for long though as he attacks Omega with a flurry of chops and kicks before he hits a beautiful Hurricanrana but within 30 seconds, Omega hits one of his own and Danielson rolls to the outside. Kenny follows him with the Terminator dive and both men look in pain. When we return to the ring both men go for roll ups before Danielson locks in the Cattle Mutilation. Omega gets to the ropes and gets out the ring so Danielson hits a knee strike from the top rope onto Kenny on the ramp and follows it up with kicks but Kenny hits the Snapdragon Suplex on the ramp and it looks absolutely brutal. Omega walks to the top of the ramp and runs down it to hit the huge V Trigger as we go to break with Kenny in the ring and Danielson looking out of it on the outside. Danielson looks like he won't make the 10 count and Kenny rolls out smugly to break the count. He then dumps Danielson onto the timekeepers table and returns to the ring once again. Danielson breaks the count this time but he looks out on his feet as we return from picture in picture.
The biggest V-Trigger ever by @KennyOmegamanX? Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/XPZ0DWmeSf
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
Omega goes for a buckle bomb but Danielson hits the top rope nastily and Kenny goes for a missile dropkick and only gets a two count. Danielson manages to get a roll up but Kenny kicks out and attacks the neck with Kicks and V Triggers in the corner before going for the Avalanche Dragon Suplex. Danielson slips out though and manages to hit his own Avalanche Back Drop. Danielson has the advantage but Kenny hits a V-Trigger out of nowhere. Bryan hits a Rolling Elbow Strike and then gets a near fall with a Fishermans Suplex and both men stay down to receive the crowd's adoration. Both men end up back on the top turnbuckle and Kenny finally hits the Avalanche Dragon Suplex but Danielson kicks out! Kenny sets up for another V Trigger and hoists Danielson up for the One-Winged Angel but Danielson hits the Poisonrana to escape and avoids a V Trigger after before he goes for the Running Knee but Kenny reverses into a Powerbomb and hits a V Trigger for another two. Omega goes up top again and misses the Phoenix Splash and Danielson fires up with some huge kicks to Kenny's quadriceps. Eventually he gets Omega to the mat and kicks him in the head before stamping on his head and locking in the Lebell lock with one minute to go but Kenny makes the ropes. Danielson goes for a knee and Omega hits a V Trigger before both men ground each other with head kicks. They exchange headbutts and punches on their knees and they fight to their feet as the bell rings to bring the time limit draw.
The #AEW World Champion @KennyOmegamanX taking some amazing chances - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/gx9i7v8byE
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
After the match, Danielson has to be pulled off of Omega by the Elite who run out to make the save and what a classic this was! All three members of the Superkliq take out Danielson with a triple superkick and then are chased off by Jurassic Express and Christian to close the segment. Breathless action.
The #SuperKliq - @AdamColePro and the @youngbucks - attacks @bryandanielson after his CLINIC with @KennyOmegamanX until their @Christian4Peeps and #JurassicExpress make the save - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/aDqkCIm2bg
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
CM Punk is loved everywhere. New York welcomes him like everyone else has since he came back as he makes his way out to the ring, asking how to follow that. He tells us it's a long time since he's been in New York and a long time since Pro Wrestling has been there (burn). Punk continues to explain why he's mad at Team Taz and Powerhouse Hobbs but his music hitting and the crowd cheering makes him so happy that all that goes away. He says that Team Taz wants to take all that away but they won't because he needs this now and Pro Wrestling is his once again. He adds that Team Taz should have finished him off on Rampage last night but they didn't so on Friday. Powerhouse Hobbs goes to sleep! Punk has his promo game at the levels it was at when he hit the pipe bomb already.
"Rampage Grand Slam, #PowerhouseHobbs goes to sleep!" @CMPunk is fired up to face @TrueWillieHobbs this Friday on a special 2-hour edition of #AEWRampage: Grand Slam on TNT - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/ATjlTawgLT
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
MJF gets the biggest boo so far in his hometown no less as he makes his entrance. You love to see it. In the ring, MJF starts the cheating within seconds as he pokes Pillman Jr in the eye but Brian is fired up for this one and fights back, blind or not! Both men trade the upper hand early on with MJF being the better wrestler but Pillman is well up for this! MJF sends his opponent to the canvas and begins to dominate as we head to commercial break. MJF works over the arm through the break and cuts off all Pillman fight backs whilst also riling the crowd up. He also distracts the referee so Wardlow can add a shot of his own to the damage Brian is taking. As we return to the action, Pillman is still getting dismantled in the ring as he continues to get beat down, until he hits a Crossbody to even things up. Pillman keeps MJF down and then rams him headfirst into the turnbuckle 9 times and gets a two from a Power Slam. MJF rolls to the outside and uses Julia as a human shield to protect him from the Tope. Pillman eventually hits it when Max spends too long distracted by Julia and Pillman goes for the Air Pillman but gets caught in the Salt of the Earth and has to tap. A great match, even after the classic we opened with.
.@The_MJF takes his eye of the prize and @FlyinBrianJr makes him pay - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/5gU9x9dsyO
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
Hager calls Men of the Year the boys of the week and Jericho says that he and Hager are feral, rabid and hungry. That match goes down on Friday
.@IAmJericho & @RealJakeHager are hungry and rabid and ready to snack on #MenOfTheYear and #DanLambert's @AmericanTopTeam "meatheads" this Friday on a special 2-hour #AEWRampage: Grand Slam on TNT - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/S9ORxOwFrH
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
Malakai's entrance is still the greatest. Cody gets a grand entrance of his own but the biggest crowd AEW have ever had boo's him quite audibly. Even Brandi gets a warmer reaction than Cody and I think it's time Cody turned! As the match begins, Cody tries to outwrestle Malakai but is met with the quick Muay Thai of Black whose eye is red tonight. He teases a Tope but flips back into the ring and sits Cross legged. Brandi rolls in and sits opposite him and that allows Cody to get the advantage over Malakai. Cody gets distracted by the crowd booing him and it allows Malakai to kick him off the top rope like he did last time. We go to break and Malakai beats Cody down in the corner and then locks on a Knee Bar which Cody gets to the ropes for. Black's striking keeps him on top and the crowd are very audibly behind him. You can tell who's on top just by listening to them. Cody ducks the first attempt at the Black Mass but Black is still on top as we return. When we return, Black hits the Spinning Heel Kick at the second time of asking but Cody rolls out, only answering at an 8 count. Cody then takes Black out with a Chop Block and hits a dragon screw in the ropes. Black is in trouble for the first time and Cody targets the leg as the crowd continue to boo him. Cody goes for the Cross Rhodes but can't hit it. He tries it a second time and is foiled but a Cody Cutter lets him finally hit it for the most anxious 2 count I've ever had in AEW. Arn gets up to the apron and Cody collides with him. Cody goes to check on Arn but he's fine so he goes back on the attack. Cody then hits Paul Turner but then Malakai sprays black mist into the eyes of Cody and rolls him up and gets the win! Thank God for that!
The kick from #MalakaiBlack knocks @CodyRhodes out and out of the ring - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/z8SKWaBl6f
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
Sammy berates Miro for beating down Fuego after the match and Miro says Sammy is only coming after him because everyone knows his neck is his weakness now. He says that he has no weakness but Sammy vows to win the title next week in Rochester and buy Fuego a new car!
God's Favorite Champion @ToBeMiro vs the Spanish God @sammyguevara NEXT WEDNESDAY on #AEWDynamite for the TNT Title - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/gVAdmHBWvK
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
FTR have their logo stylised like the NWO on their ring jacket and trunks in a really nice touch. As the match starts, FTR try to double up on Sting but he takes on Dax and Cash both singlehandedly and is on top until he misses a Stinger Splash and FTR take control. Sting and Dax end up making simultaneous hot tags and Darby and Cash come in to run wild. Darby sends both of FTR to the outside with two Coffin Splashes but gets caught on the Coffin Drop to the outside and slammed into the apron as we head to break. FTR stay on top of Darby through the break with Darby only fighting back with a Code Red for a two once and Darby getting a roll up when the referee was distracted. Darby makes his comeback as we return from commercial and in comes Sting from the tag. He almost wins it with a Spinebuster but Dax kicks out. FTR try to hit Darby with the Spiked Piledriver but Sting breaks it up with a Crossbody. This match is amazing! Sting hits a Stinger Splash on both FTR and outsmarts a Tully Blanchard chair in the turnbuckle before he locks in a Scorpion Death Lock on Harwood in the middle and when Darby takes Cash out with a Coffin Drop, it's all over and Dax taps out.
A dangerous high risk coffin drop from @DarbyAllin on the apron - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/Hd810QRmDn
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
This match starts off hot as Ruby clearly came here to fight. It doesn't take long for Ruby's speed to be the defining factor as she dominates the champion early. It takes Ruby diving to the outside for Britt to get the upper hand as Britt avoids it and Soho only takes out Rebel and Jamie. Baker then gets her with superkick and a draping DDT from the apron as we head to break. The Doctor dominates during this period as she works on Ruby's arm and face. She hits some vicious forearms and Ruby fights back as we come back with some nice kicks to Britt'es face in the corner. Ruby hits a Backdrop and follows it up with more kicks to the face but Britt explodes with a Super Kick for a double down. The women exchange strikes in the middle once they get to their feet and Ruby looks to be getting the upper hand but Britt goes for a Lockjaw. Ruby escapes but gets hit with a Slingblade. Britt goes for a stomp and gets countered into a single leg crab which turns into a Catapult. Ruby goes up top and hits a senton for a two count. Britt comes back with a gorgeous Neck breaker and thrust kick for a two of her own. We end up back on the top rope and Britt gets an Avalanche Air Raid Crash for one more two count but that's the beginning of the end as Britt hits the stomp for a two, Ruby rolls Britt up and then hits the No Future kick on her but Jamie Hayter and Rebel distract the referee and attack Ruby to allow Britt to get the Lockjaw and Ruby has to tap. 5/5 good matches here. What a show.
The challenger @realrubysoho turns the tables on the champion @RealBrittBaker - Watch #AEWDynamite: Grand Slam LIVE NOW on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/X9QeS3MAek
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) September 23, 2021
That's it for tonight but the show continues in New York and we get to see the next two hours on Friday! I'll be back here for Grand Slam Rampage and hopefully I'll see you there. If you need to reach me before that, you can find me on twitter @0r4n93_C4551dy but until Friday, Adios!
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